[721] a course running perpendicular to the road from Hagerstown to Williamsport, intersects it at the point where Kilpatrick's rearguard kept Stuart in check on the 6th. The ridge defended on that day by the Confederates affords an excellent position, but farther on the extremity of the line terminates a little to the north of the Clear Spring road, without any other place of support than a small work hastily constructed. The left of the line, running through an open country, is evidently its weakest part: it is covered by the troops which Lee, at the last moment, has left in Hagerstown in order to deceive his adversary. On the right a few detachments are watching the whole lower course of Marsh Creek: thanks to this obstacle and the density of the woods, it is easy for them to obstruct the march of the Federals.
On the 11th the Confederate army is ordered into the positions chosen by its chief. Each of the three army corps occupies one of the three roads converging upon Williamsport, and is deployed on both sides so as to form a continuous line. Toward noon Longstreet is posted around Bakersville, Hill on the Boonsboroa road, Ewell on the Hagerstown road; Rodes' division, which forms the extreme left of the Second corps, remains in the city until dark. The cavalry being no longer needed on the right, where the two armies are sufficiently near each other, Jenkins remains alone on this side; Stuart in the course of the evening vacates the entire left bank of the Antietam, concentrating his cavalry, with the two brigades sent by Longstreet, in Hagerstown, the task of keeping guard over it having been transferred to him by Rodes.
These positions are occupied without striking a blow, although those on the right are within reach of the Federals, who might have been the first to take possession of them if they had resolutely advanced on the morning of the 11th. But everything conspires to delay their march. Three new brigades are announced to arrive in Frederick on that day, while other troops are leaving Washington to join the army. Couch, marching on the track of Smith, has reached Chambersburg with a second division of militia under General Dana. Nearly fifteen thousand men, badly disciplined no doubt, are menacing Hagerstown by way of the north, and their advance-guard has even ventured sufficiently near that city to compel Stuart to send some troops to
